Permanent collection - The MMCA

Iolas' response was immediate: He said: "Apart from hospitals and orphanages, Thessaloniki needs a museum of Contemporary art!" This friendly communication with Iolas led to the a donation of 46 works of art. This donation encouraged the lovers of art who first supported the whole idea and that was how first Macedonian Centre of Contemporary Art came into being.

One of the primary concerns of the newly founded association was to find a place to house the Iolas’ collection/donation, the first 47 works of art. This problem remained unresolved for a long time. During that period the MCCA held a series of remarkable art exhibitions at various places in the city.  For some years it was hosted in an industrial hall, the factory of Filkeram Johnson. In 1991 the museum came here, in this pavilion with a loan-for-use.

In 1994, after many burocratic procedures and many adventures the first Museum of Contemporary Art in Greece, was founded as an institution of private law, under the supervision of Ministry of Culture. After some extensions and architectural additions now its size mountes up to 4.500 square meters.